FILE - The Federal Trade Commission building is seen, Jan. 28, 2015, in Washington. U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by the FTC on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, though the rule seems sure to be challenged in court. (Associated Press)

Alex Brandon

Recent data from the Federal Trade Commission indicates Pennsylvania has become a hot spot for fraud crimes in the past year.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, Pennsylvania residents reported about 1,204 cases of fraud per 100,000 people — a total of 156,014 reported cases. This makes Pennsylvania the 7th-hardest-hit state over this period, with 21% more fraud than the national average of 988 cases per 100,000 residents.

The hardest-hit state over that period was Georgia, with 1,605 reported cases of fraud per 100,000 people. The lowest-ranking state was South Dakota, with 572 reported cases of fraud per 100,000 people.